album #14

parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme (simon & garfunkel)

This is a thoroughly good album. I like Bookends more, but I like both records a good deal. There's a mix of leisurely, playful folk charm and more emotional, political numbers. This is simply a classic Simon & Garfunkel record, it's hard to imagine an album that more entirely captures their sound. "Scarborough Fair/Canticle" is lovely, a classic; "A Simple Desultory Phillipic" is interesting for being a great tune, a great homage to Dylan- and yet the lyrics indicate that it's meant as a parody. "For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her" emerged as a favorite of mine… simply a beautiful, tender love song.

The first couple times I listened to this album, I tended to zone out and get bored halfway through- there's a certain mildness to their sound. And then those two songs near the end really brought me into it entirely, I enjoy those two a lot. Also I like the bonus version of "A Poem On The Underground" more than the official release. Simon doing it on his own, the guitar picking, there's a muted urgency to it that I find lovely and engaging.